With James Harden looking to regain his peak form and Kawhi Leonard recovered from a knee injury, expectations are high for the Los Angeles Clippers heading into the new season. However, Leonard himself seems less than enthused, making a harsh admission about the team’s new signings.
During a media session on Saturday, Leonard was asked if any players had particularly stood out to him during the team’s week of training camp practices. Instead of taking the opportunity to praise his teammates, Leonard remained skeptical, staying true to his famously reserved nature.
“Just the new guys, I been watching them,” Leonard said. “The new additions we have, you know Kriss Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., some of the young guys we brought in, Kai Jones last year. Just seeing how they can develop, I’ve been watching them from day 1, the day 2, the day 3 just seeing a progression, but nobody stood out to me so far,” he stated
Although Leonard acknowledged the effort put in by some of the younger players during preseason, none have impressed him so far. His skepticism might be warranted, though, as the Clippers face an uphill battle following Paul George’s departure to the Philadelphia 76ers. For the team to make a serious playoff push, several players will need to step up in the coming weeks.
Leonard’s update about his knee injury
Concerns surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s knee persist after an inflammation forced him to miss last season’s postseason series against the Dallas Mavericks, despite playing 68 regular-season games. The Clippers star underwent an off-season procedure on his knee, and lingering inflammation kept him from participating in the Paris Olympics.
During the halftime of the Clippers 91-90 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors, Leonard made a positive update: “I feel good. Just been taking my time, getting stronger, and getting ready… We’re just taking it slow, day by day, and just trying to get me back on the floor,” he added.
Last season he averaged 34.3 minutes per game, shooting 41.7% from three, and contributing 23.7 points per game, meaning that a fully healthy Leonard will be pivotal to the Clippers’ success in the 2024-25 NBA season.